Future Games album cover - Fleetwood Mac
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Sometimes" by Fleetwood Mac - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Sometimes"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain4
Bass5.5
Mid6
Treble6
Presence5.5
Volume6

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone7
Volume9
Recording notes

From Future Games (1971). Future Games is the fifth album by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 3 September 1971. On Future Games, Bob Welch's primary guitar was a Gibson ES-345, which he played on the record along with a Fender Stratocaster. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this particular recording, so a Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue through an Orange AD30, the rig we use for Fleetwood Mac's other songs from Future Games, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the neck pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Sometimes" Tone

  1. What guitar did Fleetwood Mac use on "Sometimes"?

    The guitar on "Sometimes" (released 1971) isn't documented; the Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue (Custom Shop) above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "Sometimes" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 5.5, Volume 6. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.

  3. Can I play "Sometimes" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Sometimes" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.

Related tones

Tone references for "Sometimes" by Fleetwood Mac are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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